Carpe Diem
by KatzeGreat
Summary: Arli is having a great time at her new all girls witches school. But something over the summer haunts her and she must team up with The Boy Who Lived to find the Death Eater who set a curse on her. Will they seize the day and accomplish their mission?


Disclaimer: Okay - let me get this point across, J.K. Rowling made up all the stuff that you read about in the four books. I made up a little bit but the rest is who's? J.K. Rowling. Good boy, now go get me a soda and read this!

One little thing that I ask in your favor, if you read this…please review!

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Chapter One

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A Summer to Remember

The waft of pancakes floated through the air like a heavenly dream as Arli slept soundly. The sun shone in through the window as the peaceful snores of sisters drifted into the hallway. Nothing could be any better than sleeping in on the first day of summer vacation.

"Wake up, sleepyheads!" yelled a familiar but unrecognizable voice from the stairs, her words aimed at the green room. The one named Rebecca shifted slightly and fell back asleep. Minutes later, muffled footsteps pounded on the oak surface as a young girl jumped on one of the two beds. 

"Arli," the small girl said as she jumped on the old, creaky bed, "time to wake up!" informing the slightly older girl. She stirred and sat up a little ways, propping against the down pillow.

"Hallo small-fry, what time is…" she muttered lazily, her eyes drooping down as sleep tried to succumb her. Before she could even finish the sentence, the other one had already leaped for the second bed. More harshly than waking Arli, she screamed at the lump under the covers.

"Becca! Mum said you had to wake up!"

"Go away, Liza!" said the distant voice from underneath the comforter. Arli, now awake, winked at Liza and made a jump for the bed, smushing the occupant.

"Okay, I'm awake" Becca lied as she pulled her legs over the bed onto the floor, the rest of her body not listening. Both the other girls sighed as her torso finally responded and sat upright. Heading for the direction of the bathroom, Becca left without saying another word.

"I think she's on auto-pilot," giggled Arli as she guided little Liza towards the stairs, "I'll be down in a jiffy."

"Alright" responded Liza, disappointed that she couldn't continue to jump on beds with her older sister. As she exited the room, Arli pulled on her slippers glided slowly towards the window, reaching her arms upwards as she stretched. The hanging calendar caught her eye as she recognized the date: June 17th, the first day of summer vacation! 

"Yes!" she whispered as she twirled around and headed out the door. Coming down the stairs she thought of Budlington, the swanky private school she attended during her 'youth', as she thought being officially thirteen years old pushed her into the adult scene. 

"Or at least the pre-adult scene anyways" she thought to herself. Ten steps and one accidental slip of the foot later, she found herself in the homey kitchen of their house. High tech and futuristic was definitely the opposite of this small room. A large antique table stood perfectly in the center of the room, cabinets shelves surrounding half of the walls around. Simple appliances dotted the countertops every once in a while. Pictures of three different and distinct children graced the wall, all smiling (some with braces). Arli stared at the second to last photo on the wall. Seeing last years school picture frightened her as she focused on the metal brackets running across her teeth. Automatically, she raised her hand to her teeth, rubbing, to make sure the horrid things had really disappeared. 

A small clearing of the throat snapped her back into reality as she whipped around, glancing at the women who now stood in front of her. She had perfect auburn hair that swept her chin slightly. Her soft gaze with her gray eyes held the same expression as her smile.

"Hello Mum" Arli said quickly.

"Hi dear," she said rubbing her hands on her cloth apron and turning around to attend the stove, "want some pancakes?"

"Sure! I'm dying of starvation" she said exaggerating slightly as she flopped into one of the unsteady matching chairs at the table. She was about to stand back up and grab her stack of pancakes when, with a flick of her wrist and wand, her mother levitated the pancakes towards the table.

"Merlin!" she shouted to herself "I forgot about this whole witch thing. Spending all those boring years at Budlington must've really done something to me…

When am I getting my acceptance letter to McMaines, come to think of it, Mum?" Arli accusingly said, sending a message that conveyed to her mother to stop the awful opera singing she had started.

"You just can't wait, can you?" her mother replied. Arli was half way into responding when the stomping of two sets of feet resonated through the house, drowning out her answer. 'Here comes the stampede' Arli added quickly as they approached.

Two young ladies rushed down the stairs, apparently exaggerating their steps to perhaps give them more acceleration down the planks of wood. Each one rushing to the chair that didn't release any funny, squeaky noises. Becca, 16 years old and much larger than Liza, slammed down into the best of the six chairs.

"Yes!" she cried as victory settled in. The littler one, called Liza slumped away and fell on of the barely standing seats, her arms folding and pouting slightly.

"Cheer up, lil' Liza", Arli said, in between mouthful of pancakes covered with syrup, and shoved over another stack of fluffy pancakes her mother magicked over moments earlier. Of course, as always, Arli made Becca get her own pancakes.

"At least I get 1 ¼ years left until I have to put up with her" she said, boasting about her age of 11 ¾ as she nodded her head as to point out the victorious one.

"Then I'll have you all to myself!" Becca laughed evilly and did a Jeckle and Hyde turning back to the matter about the pancakes with Arli.

"Why do you always do that, squirt?" said Becca, still acting playful but hoping that they noted the serious tone in her words.

"Always do what, big sis?" Arli innocently said, batting her eyelashes and pouting. 

"I'm not hungry anymore" Becca said pushing away her plate and giving a disgusted look as she glared at Arli, strutting away upstairs. Arli simply laughed and stomped upstairs to change.

* * *

The day passed quietly and quickly for Arli. By the time she picked flowers, hovered a little on her broomstick and dueled (might I add _won_) against Liza and a little hesitant Becca, pre-teen Arli was more than exhausted. She schlumped back to the house very slowly as her legs felt like giving out. A new expression drew over her face as she saw a familiar deep purple car parked on the warm asphalt. All fatigue was swept away as she sprinted towards the bright orange door leading to her home. Almost twisting the handle off, she ripped open the door as she heard a dead silence inside as all eyes starred at her.

"Seamus!" she screamed, apparently scaring the trousers off of everyone in the room.

"Whoa! Where's the fire, Lee?" his thick as pudding Scottish accent coming through. Arli always loved when he called her Lee, he must've always been lazy, Arli wasn't that hard to say. Calming down a bit, she walked, half trotted over to the table where everyone had gathered. Her mother was sitting down, her elbow leaning on the table and holding her head up with her hand, listening intently to the conversation that Arli must of interrupted. Becca was sitting like a half princess, half business CEO as she calmly filed her nails, smiling warmly at the end result as she didn't even take notice of her sister. Then there was Seamus, who she had practically known all her life, of course he was 21 but he happened to be one of the family's best friend's son. A good hit in arm by Becca struck Arli to the present life as she smiled and walked into Seamus' embrace. Smelling his aftershave reminded her of all the moments she used to play with him, instead of a good friend he was more like a brother. She reluctantly let go and listened as they continued the conversation that she had 'so rudely interrupted' as her mother had continued to say. Hours and plenty of cool lemonades later, Seamus excused himself as he left.

"Gotta get to 'arry's house, promised 'im I would visit before I left for summa vacation" Seamus said lazily. 

"Harry Potter? _The_ Harry Potter, and you know him?" Arli stuttered. 

"Ya, good ole' chap, used to go to school with him at 'ogwarts. I remember those were the days. Trying to turn water into rum, o' course that never worked! _Don't try it_." he said, cupping his hand around Arli's ear and whispering the last bit with an evil grin.

Arli just slumped down for the umpteenth time on the chair and waved slowly toward Seamus' until she realized the door had actually closed.

"Nice timing, dorko" Becca smirked.

"Bite me" Arli mumbled underneath her breath as she stood up and continued for the stairs, very soon hoping to fall into her soft bed. Dreams had already overcome her as she removed her shoes and lay on the bed just thinking. 'Except for the whole Becca part, I think this summer is going to go _very_ well' she thought. 

Oh, to think how wrong she was… 

**Author's Note: I am currently working on Chapter 2! It should be up in a couple of days, probably a week at the latest. If its not up by then you can nag me if you like and say "Oh Kat*ze*Great, please put up your oh so amazing Chapter 2", and I wouldn't really mind if you used the exact wording… I like the tone of it! Anywho, check it out!**


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